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County residents show concern during WALLY meeting

Abby Welsh
Published 7:45 p.m. ET March 13, 2015

As residents signed into Thursday night’s WALLY community meeting they were asked to place a dot on the map were the proposed 27 mile long rail service. This allowed WALLY officials to gain a better perspective as part of a feasibility study.(Photo: Abby Welsh/Livingston Daily)

Members of the community had no problem voicing their concerns during the WALLY meeting after a presentation was given about the scope of the project and the future plan.

“We want this to be a discussion and for the community to let us know what answers they seek,” said Neal Billetdeaux, Smithgroup JJR landscape architect for WALLY.

The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority is undertaking a feasibility study for the proposed 27-mile-long commuter rail service known as the Washtenaw and Livingston Line, or WALLY.

One of two community meetings was hosted Thursday night as step one in the feasibility study.

“This project began in 2006, when there was a proposal to run commuter trains at the existing tracks from Howell to Ann Arbor,” said Michael Benham of the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority. “This would be the same idea … this would be for commuters traveling to Ann Arbor for work at the University of Michigan.”

The rail cars would be wheelchair accessible.

Benham gave several examples of commuter rail operations around the country that attract people, making it a profitable transit service.

“This would allow us to help with congestion along U.S. 23,” he said.

Stations would be in Howell, Genoa Township, Hamburg Township and Whitmore Lake as well as three in Ann Arbor — one by the north side of campus, one located downtown and one directly at the University of Michigan Medical Center.

“Certainly not everyone will ride this to U-M, but this again is evidence for people who would likely to be served, and the question is how many of them,” Benham said.

Several community members were against using tax dollars toward commuters travel — especially if they wouldn’t use the rail line themselves — asking WALLY officials to explore a pubic-private option.

Other residents want officials to seek “better technology options,” explaining how there are better options out there.

Common concerns among the residents who spoke included updated statistics on commuters traveling to Ann Arbor and if the line would actually project the 1,200 riders per day WALLY officials shared with the audience, noting that even if it did, the cost to maintain the line would be more than what it would take in.

WALLY officials listened and jotted down each citizen’s concern.

The study’s purpose is to understand public opinion about the proposed project, determine the costs to construct it and for commuters to ride, estimate ridership and gauge community interest along the proposed line.

“This won’t only provide both counties a way to bridge together, but it will also increase local property values, boost local businesses and reduce U.S. 23 traffic, which is caused by commuters,” Benham said.